These Broken Pieces
by Hot Chocolate 2k2
Summary: Alex falls apart. Kara feels alone. And Maggie is left to pick up the pieces. Post 2x11
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys, what's up? I just came up with this idea and thought I'd write it. This is my first fanfiction so feel free to give me advice. Here's a Supergirl one-shot, it's set right after 2x11 and has Alex/Maggie romance and Kara/Maggie friendship, and a lot of Kara/Alex sister mentions, hope you like it!**

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Alex unlocked the door to her apartment and entered in quietly. It was already dark outside, and after everything that she'd been through today, Alex just wanted to relax. She set her purse down on the kitchen counter, not bothering to turn her lights on.

She started to make her way to her bedroom when she heard a _thump_ from behind her couch. Alex squinted in the darkness, her hand slowly inching towards her gun holster. She drew her gun and walked towards the couch, fully expecting to find another White Martian hiding in her apartment, or worse.

Instead, Alex found herself looking at the sleeping form of her girlfriend, laying on her side across the couch with a blanket draped over her legs. Alex smiled fondly at the sight, holstering her weapon and sitting on the arm of the soft sofa. Maggie stirred, and lazily opened her chocolate brown eyes.

"Hey Danvers," she said sleepily, giving Alex her signature smirk. Alex grinned and gave a small chuckle. "Maggie, what are you doing here, I thought you were at the precinct?" she asked.

After the incident with the White Martian, Alex had called Maggie and told her she had to miss the concert and have a serious talk with Kara, apologizing profusely. Maggie told Alex not to worry about it, that she had to head to the precinct anyway to finish up some paperwork and to send her regards to the younger of the Danvers sisters.

Maggie gave Alex a small smile, "Yeah, I kind of lied. I came back here to wait for you, but I might've fallen asleep..." Alex gave her a look, "Okay I did fall asleep, but I wanted to make sure you came back in one piece. You've had a stressful day." Alex felt butterflies in her stomach, a feeling she was still getting used to. Maggie had been waiting all night alone, _for her._ The thought made Alex feel ecstatic. What did I do to deserve you, she thought.

"How's Little Danvers doing? Is everything okay?" Maggie asked, eyes full of concern as she sat up. Alex sighed, "I think she will be. She's been really overwhelmed lately and I don't think she's been coping too well. I should've been there for her, I should've noticed. I mean she was kidnapped _twice_ and I didn't even know until it was too late. I haven't been a good big sister _at all_ and I shou-" Maggie grabbed Alex's arms, which had started to make wild gestures to convey her point, effectively stopping her rant.

"Hey, you're _not_ a bad sister. You mean the world to Kara, and considering she can literally fly around the whole world, that's saying something."

Alex gave her girlfriend a watery smile, but her face quickly sobered once more. "The first world she lived on exploded and killed everyone she's ever loved. You know, I used to hold a secret grudge against her parents. I always wondered how they could do it, how could they just ship their daughter off into space with no warning? How could they place so much responsibility on a thirteen-year-old girl? How could they just make that decision for her, _abandon_ her? And now I realize that I'm doing the same thing," Alex said, her eyes filling with tears that would not spill over. She refused to cry, she wouldn't cry when she had no right to do so in her mind.

Maggie gazed at her girlfriend's face sadly, saw right through her strong front and into the vulnerable, broken teenage girl who grew up too fast. Alex put so much pressure on herself and Maggie knew that one day it would break her. But Maggie would try to put that day off for as long as possible.

Grabbing Alex's chin gently and forcing her to look into her eyes, Maggie said, "Alex, you talked to Kara just now, right?" Alex nodded.

"Did she say she was mad at you"

"No bu-"

"Did she say she resented you?"

"Well, no but sh-"

"Did she say you abandoned her?"

Alex's eyes suddenly found her hands extremely interesting. Maggie's eyebrows furrowed, "Alex?"

"Not—not directly. When the White Martian was impersonating me, it had a conversation with Kara. And because of the telepathic link it formed with me I can remember what they discussed. And s-she told me—it—that she had been ab-bandoned before and th-that she didn't want it to h-happen again. A-and she didn't e-even have that c-conversation with her real s-sister. H-how do you th-think that made her f-feel? I d-didn't even t-talk to her about it b-before the Martian b-brought it up."

Alex couldn't hold it in anymore, and she started to cry with her face in her hands. Maggie's heart broke at the sight. Her strong, smart, amazing girlfriend was breaking before her eyes, and Maggie couldn't just sit by and watch.

She pulled Alex off the arm of the couch and into her lap. Alex rested her head in the crook of Maggie's neck as Maggie ran her fingers through her hair, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. She could feel Alex's body shake with gut-wrenching sobs, hear her sharp intakes of breath as she shuddered against her.

Maggie felt like she had failed both Alex and Kara. Alex was breaking down in front of her, and Kara had felt abandoned because Alex had been spending so much time with herself. Alex didn't need to say it, Maggie's a detective, she detects. As Alex Danvers fell asleep in her arms, Maggie Sawyer made a promise. She would repair Alex and Kara's relationship, she would build Alex back up, and she would not lose the people she had come to love.

And she'd be damned if she couldn't put these broken pieces back together.

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 **A/N: So what'd you guys think? Let me know in the comments! Chapter 2 should be up within the week, hopefully by the weekend. And I'm still a little confused on how to format things, so if anyone's willing to help with that stuff PM me! Later!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys! So, I had more free time on my hands than I thought I would and I couldn't resist writing another chapter. I'll try to reply to as many of your reviews as possible, but it'll have to be in the next chapter because for some reason I can see how many reviews I have but it doesn't show me what they say. I'll try to figure it out ASAP though! Enjoy!**

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As soon as Alex had fallen asleep and no longer needed her attention, Maggie started to formulate a plan. She knew she needed to help Alex, she had to be the shoulder her girlfriend never had to cry on. But Maggie also knew that the only way to fix one Danvers was to fix the other. And that's exactly what Maggie was going to do.

Now for the hard part. Leaving the apartment without waking Alex I-Sleep-With-My-Finger-On-The-Trigger Danvers. Maggie knew that with all the DEO training Alex had experienced, she really shouldn't be surprised that her girlfriend could wake up at the drop of a hat. Maggie herself was a light sleeper considering her line of work.

She shifted slightly, trying to gently ease Alex off of her lap, when Alex's breath hitched and she stiffened in Maggie's arms. Maggie froze. How was she supposed to leave the apartment if she couldn't even leave her girlfriend's embrace? A thought flashed into Maggie's mind, and she would've let out a chuckle if not for the circumstances. Even as she slept, Alex Danvers challenged every fiber of her being in the best possible way.

Maggie's eyes found their way to Alex's face, lit up by the moonlight shining through the window. Her face was puffy and her eyes bloodshot, but Maggie thought she had never looked more beautiful. But the sight also broke her heart, and Maggie knew if she didn't do something, _anything_ , soon, she herself would crack. An idea suddenly popped into her head, and she prayed to God it would work.

In one fluid motion, she scooped her girlfriend into her arms and stood from the couch. She may be short, but under all the sarcasm and witty comebacks, Maggie Sawyer packed some muscle. They don't hire just anybody to be a detective.

Alex's eyes opened slowly at the movement, much slower than they would have if she hadn't had a meltdown less than an hour ago. She tried to blink the sleep from her eyes and Maggie offered her a small smile.

"Hey," Alex said, voice thick with sleep. She briefly wondered why she seemed to be floating, but as she looked into Maggie's soft eyes, felt her strong arms encompassing her, Alex found that she didn't particularly care.

"Hey, don't mind me. Go back to sleep," Maggie replied, making her way towards the small set of stairs that led to Alex's bed as her girlfriend's eyes fluttered shut. Somewhere in the back of Maggie's mind, she wondered why on earth the bed was connected to the main room, out in the open for all to see. But, then again, Alex had a sister from another world and dealt with aliens on a daily basis, so her bed was really the least complicated part of her life.

Maggie gently set Alex down on top of the large bed, fluffed the pillow the way she knew Alex liked it, and pulled the soft blankets over her body. For a split second, Maggie allowed herself to forget about their problematic lives, their secret troubles, and just admire the woman before her, wondering how she could've gotten so lucky. She ran her fingers through Alex's hair, gave her one last longing look, and started to turn away, her focus back on the task at hand, putting the Danvers sisters back together piece by piece.

Alex's hand shot out of the covers and grasped Maggie's wrist, shockingly tight. Maggie almost jumped in surprise, she thought Alex had fallen asleep while she carried her to her bed. She turned back around and was met with Alex's desperate, pleading stare.

"Stay with me?" Alex asked in a whisper.

And standing there, looking into Alex's shattered eyes, Maggie found that she couldn't breathe. It felt like someone had just kicked her in the gut. It felt like thousands of white hot knives were being stabbed into her chest. It felt like someone had fired a bullet straight into her heart.

She wanted to climb into bed, right next to Alex, wrap her arms around her and never let go. She wanted to tell Alex that she would never _ever_ leave her, that she would always be by her side. She would've given anything to be able to say those words. But she had to go, she needed to make things right, for Alex's sake.

"I'll be right back, I promise," Maggie whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Alex's forehead. Alex's eyes closed the moment she felt Maggie's lips on her skin, her breath evened out, her body relaxed. If her eyes had been open, if she had gazed into Maggie's own watery eyes, she would have found a mix of love, sadness, and something else she couldn't quite place in her exhausted state. If she had been more awake, Alex would have identified that unknown something as guilt.

Maggie slowly backed away from the bed, from the now sleeping form of her girlfriend. She carefully walked down the stairs and towards the door to Alex's apartment, almost silently. When she got to the door, she opened it quietly, and with one last wistful glance towards Alex Danvers, Maggie stepped out into the hallway, her mind now set on another, younger Danvers.

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 **A/N: How'd you like the second chapter? Feedback is welcomed, and like I said before, I'll try to reply to your reviews as soon as I figure out what you guys said! I have a busy weekend, but I'm hoping to get Chapter 3 up within the next few days, no promises though. Later!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: What's up guys? I wasn't going to update today but I felt bad because of all the great support you guys have shown me! It's really encouraging and I can't thank you guys enough. Again thanks so much for all your responses, oh and my reviews finally fixed itself so as promised:**

 **moohamquest – Thanks a lot! I was worried I would disappoint since it's my first story, glad you liked it!**

 **Guest – Thank you! I try :)**

 **Gleefreak15 – Thanks! I'm like 99% sure you already know, but Melissa Benoist (Supergirl) was on Glee as Marley Rose! Hmm, Kara as a teenager? Multiverse maybe? How much you bet they'll mention something about it in the upcoming Supergirl/Flash musical crossover?**

 **Guest – Haha I completely agree with you, she's great! Yeah those Danvers sisters should come with a warning ;)**

 **Guest – Thanks that means a ton!**

 **barattajennifer – Thank you so much! P.S. sorry it wouldn't show your name if I put the dot in.**

 **icesk8er – Thanks, hope I didn't keep you waiting too long!**

 **Guest – Will do, thanks!**

 **Guest – Thank you, I'll try and post as soon as I can!**

 **Guest – I'm happy you liked it, thanks!**

 **xxTheMadHatterCharmedxx – Here's that update for ya!**

 **green-tea01 – Thanks, her thoughts won't be seen really in this chapter, but I've already started on Chapter 4 and I tried to get into Kara's mindset to make her thoughts more realistic. Hopefully I didn't let you down!**

 **Thanks again to all of you who reviewed, followed, favorited, and heck even just stopped by to check this story out. You guys help me stay inspired, and without further ado (did I spell that right…?), here's Chapter 3!**

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Maggie walked down the stairs of Alex's apartment building. Normally she'd use the elevator, but she needed time to get her thoughts in order, and walking down the long flights of stairs gave her just that, time. She had so many questions and doubts plaguing her mind, she could almost physically feel each thought flying around inside her head, giving her an intense headache.

How would Kara react to the detective knocking on her door at almost two in the morning? Would she be awake at this hour? How was Kara coping with everything that's happened? Why didn't she tell anyone about her fear of abandonment before? How long had she been feeling like this? How would Maggie herself feel if she were in Kara's shoes? Would Kara trust her enough to tell her the truth?

These thoughts continued to hound Maggie as she stepped outside into the dark parking lot of the complex. She was about to mount her sleek black motorcycle, when a sudden, depressing, and admittedly terrifying thought occurred to her.

Did Kara even want to see Maggie at all?

She stopped dead in her tracks. There was a real possibility that Kara resented her, that she was just putting up a front for Alex. If she was able to hid her feelings from Alex herself, how did Maggie even stand a chance of breaking down Kara's walls?

She shook these thoughts away, it didn't matter right now. She had to try, if she didn't try, what hope did they really have? She strapped her helmet on and hopped onto the back of her Triumph Bonneville T100. The engine roared to live as she popped the kickstand up and took to the cold night streets of National City.

The wind whipped against her body, sending chills down her spine as she sped down the dark roads towards a certain blonde's apartment. She was halfway there when she realized how tense her shoulders were, how tightly she was gripping the handlebars. And that's when Maggie realized how anxious she was, how much weight was riding on her conversation with Kara. Whenever Maggie needed to relax after a long day, she would ride her motorcycle through the city, marveling at the adrenaline rush she would get, the complete and utter peace she would feel.

But right now, as she sped through the city, well aware that she was far over the speed limit, all Maggie felt was anticipation and nervousness. Her doubts were starting to get to her, making her question if this was really a good idea.

She blinked hard, mentally refreshing herself. Stop it, she scolded herself, this needs to be done if you want to fix them.

Maggie reached Kara's apartment building, parked her bike, took off her helmet, and started to make her way to the entrance. She thought of forfeiting the elevator once more, but decided better of it. She knew no amount of time would ever prepare her for what was to come.

The elevator doors opened with a _ding_ , and part of Maggie couldn't help but compare the sound to funeral bells. Something was going to have to surrender today, something was going to have to break. She just hoped that it wouldn't be Kara.

She walked down the hall until she stood in front of Kara's door. She was about to call out to Kara, ask if she could come inside, when she realized the door was cracked open. Her eyebrows furrowed. Kara never left her door open, she couldn't risk anyone walking in on her as Supergirl. Something was wrong.

Maggie's hand crept towards her hip, reaching for her sidearm, when she realized she left it on Alex's table when she had started to fall asleep on her girlfriend's couch. Cursing herself and her inability to resist sleep, Maggie slowly pushed the white door open.

The apartment was in shambles. The corner of the countertop was missing, as if it had been broken off. The refrigerator door was torn off its hinges, left lying carelessly on the floor. The stove had a large fist shaped dent in its otherwise smooth metal surface. The cabinet doors were ripped off, the dishes and cups shattered on the ground. Drawers had been pulled completely out of their slots and smashed into the hardwood floor, as well as the chairs. Kara's clothes rack was toppled over, her dining room table was missing a leg. There was a hole in one of the walls, and two black parallel burn marks stretched across the whole length of the ceiling. All of her lights were frozen solid, and her apartment would've been pitch black if not for the moonlight shining through the windows.

Maggie, trying her best to avoid stepping on the broken glass and splintered wood, slowly walked towards Kara's couch area. She found the missing piece of Kara's counter embedded in the screen of the television, and the coffee table was split in two right down the middle.

But the brokenness of the apartment didn't even come close to the brokenness of the girl in front of her.

Kara Danvers was curled up in a small ball, dressed in a t-shirt and pajama pants, clutching something in her hands close to her chest. She was lying on the couch, shivering, her eyes puffy and red. Biting down hard on her lip, small whimpers still escaping against her will.

Maggie stood there, frozen. She couldn't recognize the girl before her. Was this Supergirl? Was this the girl who could lift a car with her finger? Was this the girl who could carry a plane on her shoulders? Was this the girl who could walk through fire and come out unscathed? Was this the girl who flew like a guardian angel over National City?

No. This was not Supergirl.

But, was this Little Danvers? Was this the girl who could light up a room with only her presence? Was this the girl who would always ramble in awkward situations? Was this the girl who couldn't lie to save her life? Was this the girl who believed that love bonds them all?

No. This was not Kara Danvers.

And it became clear to Maggie why she couldn't recognize the girl in front of her.

This was Kara Zor-El. This was the girl who was told she needed to raise her baby cousin on a foreign planet when she herself was a child. This was the girl who came to earth feeling like she no longer had a purpose. This was the girl who saw her whole world, everyone she ever loved, die before her eyes. This was the broken, terrified thirteen-year-old girl who was abandoned too many times, who had lost too many people.

And Maggie Sawyer knew in that moment what being helpless truly felt like.

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 **A/N: What'd you think? Can any of you tell me what episode of Supergirl I got Maggie's motorcycle from? Cause I didn't just make it up, it's her actual motorcycle. Chapter 4 will be up sometime within the next week, probably sooner rather than later since I can't seem to stop writing but again no promises. It'll probably be the last or second to last chapter, so feel free to send me some prompts! Later!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys I'm back again. I'm so so so sorry for the long wait, I've had a busy couple of weeks. Thanks again to all of you guys:**

 **Guest – Glad you liked it!**

 **Anna – Thanks that means a lot!**

 **Meeshy – Hope this meets your expectations, thanks!**

 **moohamquest – Thank you, yeah I figured Kara would be a bit more hurt than she let Alex know. I hope you like the Maggie/Kara interaction!**

 **barattajennifer – I plan on it!**

 **CelticCrossings – Yes! Someone got it! You're my new favorite person lol.**

 **Again I'm so sorry about the wait, enjoy! The** _ **italicized**_ **sentences are Maggie's thoughts. Oh and I know next to nothing about medical treatments so sorry if I screwed that up!**

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Kara let out another whimper, forcing Maggie into action. She slowly kneeled down next to the couch until she was eye-level with the younger of the Danvers sisters. She looked into Kara's eyes, the usually bright blue irises now dull, almost lifeless.

"Kara?" Maggie asked quietly.

Kara didn't move, showing no signs of hearing Maggie's voice. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly as she inhaled short, shallow breaths while trying, and failing, to suppress her whimpers.

"Kara, say something, please?" Maggie tried again, her voice shaky. She edged closer, hesitant to touch Kara in fear of startling the young girl.

Kara blinked slowly, a faint trace of recognition shining through her cloudy eyes at Maggie's movement. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to focus on the face in front of her. Suddenly her eyes filled with panic as she realized who was kneeling at her side.

"M-Maggie? N-no you can't b-be here you n-need to l-leave," Kara barely managed to get quiet words past her lips.

Maggie tried not to let the slurred words of rejection hurt her. After all, she took Alex, her sister, the person Kara needed most in this world, away from her. She should have expected this kind of reaction. It didn't make it hurt any less though. _Wait, slurred? Why would she be slurring her words unless..._

Maggie's eyes trailed down from Kara's eyes to her hands, to the bottle of scotch clutched tightly against her chest.

Kara followed Maggie's gaze to the bottle, and the panic in her eyes only grew.

"Kara…" Maggie swallowed thickly, not able to find the right words. Suddenly the trashed apartment, the broken furniture, it all made sense. Except, Kara was Kryptonian. Alcohol shouldn't have an effect on her.

 _Kara, what did you do to yourself?_

"P-please, don't t-tell anyone. D-Don't tell A-Alex," Kara begged, her words still a whisper. Maggie's heart felt like it was breaking into a million tiny pieces.

She reached her hand out towards Kara, intending to gently take the bottle away from her. Her fingers had barely grazed the bottle when Kara suddenly scrambled backwards, trying to put as much space between her and the detective as possible.

She fell backwards behind the couch, her small cry of pain mixing with the sound of shattering glass. Maggie bolted around the couch and knelt once more beside the blonde. She saw little trails of red spreading on the floor beneath Kara, and it took her a second to process what was happening.

The red was blood.

Kara's blood.

 _But how?_

That question, and the millions of others running through Maggie's head, could wait. Kara was gasping on the ground, eyes clenched shut, hands still clutching the neck of a now broken bottle. The contents of the bottle were spilled all over the younger girl and the floor around her.

The pool of crimson was rapidly growing by the second. Maggie knew that she needed to get Kara onto the couch and off her back, off the floor, or the glass would embed itself deeper into Kara's skin.

She carefully grabbed Kara's arm, trying not to scare her again, but Kara still shied away from her, ignoring the stabbing pain as more shards lodged themselves inside her body.

"Get away f-from me," Kara stuttered, tears streaming down her pale face.

Maggie was terrified at this point. She could handle criminals, hostile aliens, enemy combatants, evil anti-alien groups, anything that scared her she could shoot at. But this was different.

This was emotional.

This was personal.

This was Kara.

 _There's too much blood, something's wrong._

She couldn't force Kara to let her help. Kara seemed to want nothing to do with her, but Maggie couldn't just leave. She wouldn't.

"Kara, I know I'm the last person you want to see right now," _I promise I don't blame you._

"And I know that it hurts," _I know the glass isn't the only thing that's broken._

"But I need to get you off the floor," _I need to put you back together._

"Let me help you," _Trust me, please._

Kara froze and bit her lip, eyebrows furrowing into what Alex called "the crinkle", and Maggie waited with bated breath. Kara opened her eyes slowly and stared into Maggie's own, the few seconds of silence feeling like hours to Maggie.

"Okay," she whispered in a small voice.

"Okay," Maggie repeated, a soft smile flashing across her lips.

She wrapped Kara's arm around her neck, placed her own arm around Kara's waist as best she could without touching her back, and got to her feet, supporting most of Kara's weight. They made their way to the front of the couch where Maggie gently lowered Kara onto the cushions on her stomach. Pieces of glass peppered her back, the largest piece embedded deep in Kara's back, blood gushing out at an alarming rate, it could be fatal if Maggie didn't do something fast.

Maggie would have to treat Kara's wounds herself. There was no way in hell she was leaving Kara alone in the apartment, and she couldn't call an ambulance. Kara was Kryptonian, and Maggie couldn't risk revealing her secret identity, she wouldn't be able to live with herself. She could only hope Kara hadn't destroyed what she needed in her drunken stupor.

"I'm going to go find something I can use to patch you up, Little Danvers. I'll be right back, I promise," Maggie said, giving Kara's hand a light squeeze before dashing to the bathroom.

She squinted in the darkness, the moon shining through the window her only source of light. Maggie was aware that the bathroom, like the rest of Kara's apartment, was in shambles. She slammed open cabinets and yanked out drawers, rushing to find a first aid kit, makeshift medical supplies, anything.

She almost cried in relief when she found the stack of towels under the sink. The sink, it had finger shaped dents on the edge, like Kara had leaned on it to stay upright. But Maggie could ask Kara about that, about everything, later. Not when Kara was bleeding out on her own couch.

She grabbed all the towels and shoved some of them under the stream of water shooting out of the pipe Kara's shower head once resided in. She scanned the bathroom, looking for something she could clean the cuts with. Maggie was afraid that rubbing Kara's back with soap would open the wounds wider, so she had to find a way to clean them without making too much contact.

Her eyes landed on a bottle of rubbing alcohol laying haphazardly on the floor. She snatched it up and sprinted back to Kara, sliding on her knees as she neared the couch.

She slid to a stop next to Kara, who had become pale and cold.

"Kara, I need you to stay awake. I'm going to take out the glass, but you have to stay still," Maggie said, wishing she could give the younger Danvers something more to comfort her. Kara gave an almost imperceptible nod, but Maggie noticed the movement and felt a brief feeling of pride wash over her at Kara's strength.

She gripped the largest piece of the broken scotch bottle, in the middle of Kara's back where all the blood was pouring from. She felt Kara's muscles twitch from the slight movement. Maggie took a deep breath as she mentally prepared herself and yanked the shard out.

Kara made a strangled cry, squeezing her eyes shut and clenching her jaw, but she managed to stay still. Maggie's heart was torn in two at the sound, and she felt her eyes start to water.

 _Get a grip, Sawyer._

She blinked away the tears and picked up a wet towel, feeling Kara's muscles tense when she applied pressure to slow the bleeding.

"You're doing great kid," Maggie whispered.

The bleeding slowed as Maggie replaced the bloody towel with a new one. She dreaded what had to happen next, but she knew it was necessary. She opened the bottle of rubbing alcohol and looked hesitantly at Kara. Her muscles were just starting to relax, her eyes still closed. Maggie swallowed thickly.

"I-I have to disinfect it now, Kara. It's…it's going to hurt," Maggie said shakily, cursing her wavering voice. She had to stay strong, for Kara.

Kara responded with a quiet grunt and balled her hands into fists, preparing herself. Maggie took Kara's hand in hers and opened her fingers, winding them around her own instead. Kara opened her eyes and gave Maggie a confused look, her crinkle standing out.

"Squeeze as hard as you want," Maggie said, her lips turning up slightly. Kara responded with her own weak smile and a small squeeze, letting Maggie know she was ready.

Maggie poured the clear liquid onto the gash. Her fingers popped as Kara squeezed them, and for a second Maggie thought Kara had regained her super strength. Kara bit down on her lip, hard, and blood ran down her chin.

Maggie set the bottle down and grabbed a dry towel, wiping away blood and excess rubbing alcohol that remained on Kara's back. She felt Kara's hold on her slowly weaken, and Maggie gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"I've got you, Little Danvers. You're going to be just fine," Maggie said softly. Kara squeezed her hand back, letting Maggie know she had heard her, and let go of her hand, her muscles slowly relaxing.

Shattered blue eyes stared into sad brown ones.

 _Please don't push me away again._

"I'm sorry," Maggie said, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"No, it's alright," Kara hesitated, "I, um, I'm sorry for what happened. What I said to you, I didn't mean it like that."

Maggie gave Kara a sad smile, "No, I get it. I understand why you don't want to see me, I took Ale-"

"Maggie, no that's not what I meant. I-I didn't want to you to find out. I didn't want anyone to find out. Especially not like this…" Kara trailed off.

"Find out what, Kara?" Maggie asked quietly, worry and concern lacing her words. She was knelt down by Kara's face, one hand on the towel resting on Kara's back and the other gripping the couch cushion.

"I've been drinking. A lot. And I can't stop," Kara whispered, her voice cracking on the last words.

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 **A/N: Chapter 4, what'd ya think? I've already started 5, and I'm really hoping to get it up next weekend. I'm so so so so sorry about the wait, I've just been really busy. School and life and school and sports and school. Did I mention school? Yeah, anyway I will try to update as soon as possible. See ya!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry for the wait! Here's Chapter 5. So I'm not sure if this is going to be the last chapter or not, let me know what you guys think. More about this is in the bottom author's note.**

 **And thank you to all of the favorites, follows, reviews, and readers! Honestly you guys inspire me to write, and I can't thank you all enough!**

 **buffyfan1992 – Well the wait is over, I'll get to that in this chapter ;)**

 **barattajennifer – Thanks! It's great to know you keep reading and are happy with the story!**

 **Ashes-Athanasia – Happy to serve! I hope I explain well enough why I didn't have her drinking alien alcohol, why it seemed more heartbreaking to me for her to be drinking human alcohol and why I chose to do it and how she is able to be affected by it.**

 **LOCISVU – Yeah, sad stuff is happening for sure.**

 **Anna – Thanks! Glad to have ya as a reader!**

 **xxTheMadHatterCharmedxx – Thanks man! (Or girl, I usually say man and dude just warning you lol)**

 **SomeHumanUser – Haha sorry dude, life's been so busy but I try! My spring break is coming up, hopefully I can finish all the chapters to this and get out some new stories, yeah?**

 **Iza456 – You got it, sorry I don't have a prize! Thank you, it means a lot, and the (long) wait is over!**

 **Thanks again guys! Like last time,** _ **italicized**_ **words are Maggie's thoughts, or emphasis. I think you'll be able to tell the difference. Enjoy!**

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"Kara…" Maggie's heart shattered. Kara Danvers, the happiest, kindest, purest person in the universe, had been drinking herself away piece by piece. Alone.

"I didn't mean to at first," Kara's tears had returned, gliding off her lashes and down her face.

 _No one ever does,_ Maggie thinks.

"It s-started the night those apartments caught on fire." _A whole month ago._

Maggie remembers that night. It was one of the worst fires National City had ever seen, started by a gang of Infernians.

Maggie had been in the middle of the chaos, helping the wounded from the exits to the ambulances. The fire had been too big for Kara to extinguish, spread out over ten apartment buildings.

She watched Kara fly in and out of buildings, dropping people off with paramedics, using her freeze breath as much as possible.

"Alex and I were going to have a sister night when we got called in. I was going to talk to Alex after the fire but…"

"But she was with me," Maggie finished, a wave of guilt crashing over her.

One of the buildings collapsed, and Maggie was standing too close. She tried to dive out of the way of the falling debris, cracking her head on concrete rubble. Alex had rushed Maggie into one of DEO ambulances, despite her weak, barely conscious protests.

She had watched the news in the medical bay, watched as four more buildings collapsed in the span of two hours. Kara had been working nonstop, and Maggie knew she had to be exhausted.

The inferno had finally been put out, five buildings left standing from the original ten. Hundreds were left wounded, many more were left dead.

Alex bolted to the Maggie's side after her own medical assessment was complete, covered in soot and smelling strongly of smoke. She stayed with Maggie the whole night, worrying over her girlfriend even though Maggie told her, repeatedly, that it was just a concussion.

Kara seemed to sense the guilt Maggie felt and said, "There was a lot of blood and you were barely conscious when we got to you, you needed her. But," she swallowed thickly, "Maggie I let _so many people die_."

Maggie's eyes met Kara's, and all Maggie could see in them was self-hatred, anger, and guilt.

So much guilt.

"Kara, that was not your fault. You hear me? That. Was. Not. Your. Fault. That fire was out of control, it's a miracle how many people survived. They survived _because_ of you _._ You did good Little Danvers, and you need to know that. _"_ Maggie desperately tried to reach Kara, tried to get through to her.

Kara didn't respond, but Maggie saw a look of doubt flash on her face, saw the gears turning in her head. It looked like she was having an internal argument with herself.

Finally, her eyes lightened a fraction, and Maggie did a victory dance inside. She had relieved part of Kara's burden, a small part, but she would take it.

But Kara's eyes darkened as she opened her mouth to speak again.

"Alex was with you, Winn was trying to track the Infernians, J'onn was trying to hold everyone together. No one had time," Kara said quietly, and Maggie filled in the unspoken words.

 _No one had time for me._

"So I went to the dive bar. And I just…so many things were going wrong and I hadn't had a _real_ conversation with Alex for _weeks_ and M'gann wouldn't give me anything and—and dammit Maggie if I can't get rid of my pain like everyone else!" Kara was shouting now, her voice cracked and broken.

Maggie stared at Kara, her mouth slightly open, tears in her own eyes as she realized how much deeper this ran than Alex.

Because it wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair that Kara had all these expectations on her.

It wasn't fair that Kara got freed of her parents' standards just to be imprisoned by earth's.

It wasn't fair that everyone forgot Kara had to grow up too fast.

It wasn't fair that the world saw Supergirl and not _Kara._

And suddenly all the pieces fell into place.

Because even the strongest have to rely on someone. And for Kara, that someone was Alex. And when Alex wasn't there, Kara felt like she had been abandoned. Again.

So she turned to the one thing that couldn't leave her behind.

The one thing Maggie turned to when her parents kicked her out.

 _Because the burning in your throat and the blurring in your eyes hang onto you tighter than any person ever can._

"I went into the alley behind the bar. I picked a brick off the ground and—and I stared at it until it melted," Kara confessed.

Maggie's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. _She stared at a brick and it just melted?_

And then it hit her.

Kara used her heat vision on the brick. And she didn't stop until the brick had _liquefied_ in her hand.

And what's worse, she could see it.

Maggie could picture Kara, broken and beaten, glaring at a brick as it melted and dripped onto the pavement, her shattered eyes hidden behind the blinding blue light of her heat vision.

 _Just like how Kara was hidden behind Supergirl._

"You solar flared," Maggie breathed out, eyes wide with realization.

Kara nodded. She couldn't meet Maggie's gaze.

"I ended up in my apartment. I opened the cabinet where Alex keeps alcohol for when she comes over. I grabbed the first thing I saw, and I-I downed the whole bottle. I wanted it to go away, the memories, the guilt, the p-pain, all of it.

"I woke up the on the floor the next day with the empty bottle still in my hand. But everything from the night before c-came back to me. And I knew it was wrong, but part of me could only think about how I needed to feel _that_ again. I needed to feel weightless and numb. I needed to feel _nothing._ But I had to go to work, and I had to be Supergirl, and by the time I came back home, my only thought was on how I could take all the pain away.

"And before I knew it, I was trapped in this—this vicious cycle. Get up, go to work, save the world, solar flare, drink, black out. And I couldn't stop. I drank more each night, I felt guiltier each morning. But I couldn't stop." Kara whispered her last words, lips trembling.

"I wouldn't drink anything alien. If I got something from the dive bar every night, M'gann would talk to J'onn and J'onn would talk to Alex and I'd be forced to stop. B-but the bartender uptown? Alex buys all her scotch from his place.

"So when one of his regular's little sister showed up to get bottles of scotch every week, he didn't think anything of it." Kara said with a spiteful chuckle, and it was scary how cynical it sounded.

"And then tonight Alex came over for my earth birthday, and it almost felt like nothing had changed. But then she thought Mon-El was the main cause of my problems, of my feelings, and I could see in her eyes how much she wanted it to be him. How much she wanted it to be him who broke me, how much she hoped it wasn't her. And I couldn't make myself break her too. So I lied.

"She left, and I just needed to forget. I needed to forget that I just lied to her. I needed to forget so much more than I ever did before. So I went outside and solar flared. B-but halfway into my th-third bottle, my powers came back. I was already d-drunk and my metabolism couldn't process all of the scotch fast enough to make me sober again. I couldn't control my powers.

"Everything after that is blurry. Every time I grabbed a bottle it would shatter. Every time I looked at something it burned. Every time I exhaled the air would frost. Anything I touched would break.

"I think I ended up solar flaring again by accident, because I made it to the couch with another bottle. I was in the middle of downing it when you came in."

Kara didn't mean to say what she said next, but later she wouldn't want to even imagine where she might be if she hadn't.

"I thought the alcohol could be there for me when no one else was. It was something to hold onto, something that couldn't leave me. And I think part of me wanted to know what it was like to be human, to b-be _normal_ because maybe if I was Alex's _real_ sister-"

"Let me stop you right there," Maggie couldn't take it anymore. "You _are_ Alex's real sister. She loves you so much, Kara. Do you even know why I call you Little Danvers?"

Maggie had to make sure Kara was listening to her. She leaned in close, and stared Kara dead in the eyes.

"It's not just because you're Alex's little sister. It's because you guys are so close you're practically the same person. You're both so passionate and protective and inspiring. And I know that if something bad happened to one of you, the other would raise hell. That's not something you can just fake, Kara. It's _real._ "

A million emotions were rising up in Maggie, a million thoughts running through her head. But out of them all, one in particular stood out.

 _I need to make her understand._

"And who cares if you're not normal? You're so much _better_ than normal. Normal is waking up with a cup of coffee and watching the world pass you by. You wake up with a morning flight as the world watches _you_ pass them by. And it's not the fact that you're Supergirl that makes you so extraordinary, Kara.

"It's the fact that you're _Kara Danvers_. The surprisingly caring stranger. The unbelievably happy reporter. The amazingly awkward friend. The impossibly protective family member. The suit and the cape aren't the only things that make you super."

Kara had a look of disbelief on her face, lips parted and trembling, eyebrows pulled together. She couldn't believe Maggie had said something so sweet and loving, something so heartfelt to her. She couldn't believe Maggie actually _cared_ about her.

Because she was Alex's girlfriend. She didn't sign up for Kara's problems, she wasn't obligated to fix them. Yet here she was, telling Kara that _yes,_ she did pay attention to her and _no,_ she didn't judge her for her mistakes.

And as Kara was still trying to process everything Maggie had told her, the detective was filled with hope.

Because she could see it in Kara's eyes. She was getting through to her, she was almost there. She just needed to give Kara a final push.

"I was going through a rough time when I was a teenager." _When my parents kicked me out._

Maggie wanted to tell Kara about her coming out, but she couldn't. She couldn't force herself to speak about her past.

 _Kara doesn't need my problems on top of her own._

And maybe part of Maggie wasn't ready to share that part of her yet.

"I felt like I had no one I could trust, no one who was willing to be there for me. So I did the same thing you did. I drank my feelings away. I would steal alcohol from shipment trucks delivering to bars, I would beg for money on the streets just to blow it all on scotch. I know what it's like to feel worthless and unloved," Maggie herself was crying, as flashbacks from the past mixed with emotions of the present.

"But Kara, you are loved so much, by so many people. I wish I had people in my life back then who cared, who care like Alex does. Like Winn does. Like J'onn does. Maybe if I had, I wouldn't have made the mistakes I did. You aren't alone Kara. You have your family and your friends. And you have me."

And finally, all of Kara's walls came crashing down.

Kara let out a sob, a sob full of heartbreak but full of relief, as she threw her arms around Maggie, burying her head in the crook of Maggie's neck.

For a split second, Maggie was frozen in shock. But she wrapped her arms around Kara's shaking form and hugged her as hard as she dared, careful of her back.

 _She's going to be okay._

And Maggie knew they had a long road ahead of them. She knew Kara was going to have to tell Alex, she knew it would take a long time to heal.

But right now, all Kara needs is to know that she is not alone. And Maggie made a promise to herself in that moment to never let Kara forget ever again.

"Maggie?" Kara whispered as she pulled away, "can I ask you something?"

"Anything, Little Danvers."

"Will you stay with me tonight?" Kara asked.

Maggie's heart swelled in her chest at Kara's shyness.

"I mean, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be out this late, alone. It'd make me feel a lot better knowing you're safe," Kara quickly added, trying to sound less afraid. Less broken.

Maggie chuckled at Kara's attempted coverup. The girl was such a bad liar. But she knew how vulnerable Kara was being.

"Yeah, Kara. Always," Maggie said softly, giving her hand a light squeeze.

"Pillows and blankets are in my room," Kara said, pointing in the vague direction.

Maggie stood and walked towards the room, grabbing two blankets and all the pillows she could find. She made her way, through the dark, back to the couch, cursing when she stubbed her toe on the couch leg and fell unceremoniously to the floor.

But it was worth it to hear Kara laugh.

"How many pillows you want, kid?" Maggie asked.

"How many did you get?"

"Four."

"I'll take four then."

"Careful, Little Danvers, or you might not get any."

"On second thought, two is just fine."

"That's what I thought," Maggie said, a teasing smile on her face.

She handed Kara the two pillows and threw a blanket over her.

Kara's eyes were already closed by the time Maggie had set up her place on the floor next to the couch. She stared at Kara's sleeping face and let out a sigh as her lips quirked up into a small smile.

Maggie leaned up and placed a soft kiss on Kara's forehead.

As Maggie laid back down on the floor and closed her own eyes, she heard three words mumbled words that stopped her heart.

"Love you, Maggie."

And then Kara's breath evened out.

Maggie laid there, with tears in her eyes, as she repeated Kara's words in her head.

 _Maybe it was Alex and Kara who were fixing my broken pieces all along._

* * *

 **A/N: Alriiiiight, there's Chapter 5! So I'm not sure what I should do next. Do you guys want another chapter showing Kara confessing to Alex the next day? Or do you want that to be a separate story? Or do you just want me to leave this as it is? Let me know! See ya!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: We made it! Second to last chapter of These Broken Pieces. I'm so sorry it's been so long, my schedule has been crazy and I haven't gotten around to writing and I've been sick but it's summer now so I hopefully can update more often now!**

 **And…there's going to be a sequel. Thanks to all your guys' great reviews, I've decided I'll have two last chapter here with Maggie convincing Kara to tell Alex and then the last chapter of Alex and the confession, and don't worry Maggie's still gonna be as great a girlfriend and friend as ever.**

 **Thanks again for all the advice guys! And I'm numbering the guests now, but each new chapter the count resets back to starting at one, so sorry if it's a little confusing. It helps me keep track of who said what lol.**

 **Guest 1 – Thanks so much! I agree, a second story would allow me to expand more with the healing.**

 **buffyfan1992 – Oh I am so up to doing both! Thanks for all your feedback, and yes cuddling will be ahead.**

 **icesk8er – Glad to hear you like it enough for more! And don't worry, I didn't forget about Maggie telling Alex she'd be back, it'll tie in to the story :)**

 **Guest 2 – I live to mess with your feelings! And don't worry Alex and Kara coming up.**

 **scrawn – Thanks! Yup, she's definitely far from healed yet, I'm not quite done with their stories!**

 **Guest 3 – Your wish is my command! The healing process will mainly be in the sequel, but it definitely starts here. Thanks for your review!**

 **moohamquest – That's pretty much my plan lol, thanks!**

 **flashversespeedster – I kinda combined Maggie helping Kara and Kara confessing in this chapter, I hope it satisfies!**

 **luvladies1981 – Kara and Alex will talk in this chapter, and Maggie's gonna be there for them through this story and the next cuz she's just that awesome lol, thanks for the review!**

 **barattajennifer – Kara's going to confess to Alex, don't worry!**

 **WB2490 – Thanks a lot man! It's been fun writing this, I'm happy I was able to get the Maggie relationship factor in with both sisters. There will be a sequel that will have a lot more Kara and Alex than this story but Maggie will also be a pretty main character, hope you decide to read it!**

 **Anna – Thanks! Yup, the confession happens in this chapter.**

 **Guest 4 – Maggie and Kara do bond in this last chapter, and Maggie will be in sequel every step of the way!**

 **TheLifeStruggleIsREAL – Coming right up!**

 **Guest 5 – I will, thanks! I'm happy I caused mixed emotions lol, I think it's one of the best reactions I can get with this type of story.**

 **Laby Anne Boleyn – Sequel coming up after this chapter!**

 **Mac – Yeah, it's the next morning, and thank you!**

 **brittanarules1 – There definitely will be more!**

 **I really hope I did this well. I'm again really sorry about the wait, and I'm still working on For the Girl Who Lost Everything. As always,** _ **italicized**_ **words are Maggie's thoughts, enjoy!**

* * *

Maggie Sawyer wearily blinked her eyes open, only to shut them a second later as the sunlight temporarily blinded her.

She stretched her tense muscles, arms and legs straightening. When her knuckles hit the solid wooden floor instead of the soft bed she was expecting, she jumped, and her head collided with the table above her. She cursed as she laid back down with an irritated sigh, laying her arm across her eyes.

 _This is why I'm not a morning person._

A muffled sound next to her caught Maggie's attention. Kara was asleep on the couch, murmuring incoherent words as she shifted slightly.

The events of last night came rushing back to her and she quickly got to her feet, pointedly glaring at the table as she did so. She gently removed the blanket from Kara's back and sighed in relief when she saw the cuts had healed well. Kara must have gotten her powers back sometime during the night.

But as Maggie looked closer, she saw that one was still visible. The deepest one, the one that sent Maggie into a flashing panic last night, was scarred over, a jagged white line in its place. The scar started from her left shoulder blade and cut down diagonally to a spot above the small of her back.

 _That can't be right. Kara can't scar. I'll just call Alex and ask he—_

 _Oh shit._

Maggie glanced around wildly for a clock, but realized they were all probably broken, destroyed in Kara's drunken haze. She dives for the phone she set on Kara's broken kitchen counter last night, hoping against hope that it's not as late as she thinks it is.

11 a.m.

On a Friday morning.

Alex Danvers never wakes up past six.

Seven on weekends.

 _She's either going to panic, send out a search party, or kill me. Probably all three, in that order._

And then she sees she has thirteen missed calls, twenty-one unread texts, and five voicemails, and part of Maggie idly wonders if she should have an open or closed casket funeral.

She's shaken out of her thoughts by a quiet "no,"coming from the couch. She looks at Kara, eyebrows furrowing. "Little Danvers?"

"I'm sorry, don't go," Kara chokes out, eyes still closed, body tense.

 _She's having a nightmare,_ Maggie realizes.

She runs to Kara's side and drops to her knees as the younger girl shouts, "Don't leave, please!"

"Little Danvers. Kara! It's not real, wake up!" Maggie says urgently, shaking the blonde's shoulders.

Kara is moving now, thrashing on the couch in a cold sweat as tears stream down her cheeks, trembling, jaw clenched tight. Maggie flinches as she takes a fist to the ribs, but keeps a firm hold on Kara.

"Kara, it's just a dream!"

"Come back!" Kara screams, eyes snapping open and breathing erratic.

As soon as Kara sees Maggie, she dives into her embrace, crying into her neck. Maggie wraps her arms around Kara, whispering soft words in her ear.

"You're alright Kara, it was just a nightmare. It's not real."

Kara shakes in her arms, her ragged breaths and broken sobs deafening in the quiet apartment. Maggie felt her own eyes begin to water, and she quickly blinked back her tears.

 _You have to stay strong for Kara._

"You want to talk about it?" Maggie asked. She could feel Kara's rapid heartbeat against her chest as the blonde tried to steady her breathing.

"I-I was on K-Krypton. My p-parents burned in f-front of me and Kal-El's p-pod wouldn't t-take off and by the t-time I noticed it was t-too late," Kara whimpered, her parent's tortured screams and Kal-El's scared cries echoing in her head.

Maggie squeezed Kara tighter, her words failing her. What could she say?

 _It's alright Kara, it didn't happen that way. Your parents didn't have time to burn, they probably died instantly. And Kal's pod took off fine, he just had to grow up alone on this planet because your pod was the one that was late,_ Maggie thought bitterly.

"And then I was in m-my apartment d-drinking when A-Alex walked in. She l-looked so d-disappointed and she was s-so mad. She told me I was b-being p-pathetic and that I r-ruined her life the s-second I was d-dropped at her doorstep s-so if anyone should be d-drinking it should b-be her.

"Then she walked o-out and s-slammed the door. I t-tried to r-run after her, b-but the s-stupid door wouldn't o-open and she was g-gone," Kara sobbed, her voice cracking. She could still see the hatred in Alex's eyes.

Kara felt like she couldn't breathe. Her vision blurred over, and if she hadn't already been on the floor, she was sure her legs would have given out. She felt like the world was spinning even though she knew her head was resting against the detective. She clung to Maggie, trying to find something to ground her.

Maggie's heart dropped as she noticed the signs of a panic attack. She racked her brain, trying to remember what she was supposed to do in a situation like this. A memory of a conversation she had with Alex flashed into her mind, her girlfriend's words echoing to her from weeks ago.

* * *

" _Kara used to get panic attacks all the time when we were kids. Mom and Dad tried to help, but I was the only one who could get her to calm down," Alex admitted, the_ crack _of her pool stick connecting with the cue ball resonating in the dive bar._

 _The bar was deserted. It was already past closing time, but M'gann gave them V.I.P access since they were her favorite regulars and some of her closest friends. She said to think of it as a thank you for saving her life._

" _After all she's been through, it doesn't really surprise me. How'd you do it?" Maggie asked, taking a swig of her beer as she set her own pool stick down. She already knew how this game was going to end._

" _I would pull her into a strong hug and tell her to focus on my heartbeat. It always worked. Except the first time I tried it, her super strength was kind of a problem. Our bedroom got a new door and I got a new scar," Alex chuckled as she reminisced, but there was a sobering look in her eyes._

" _That was the first time Kara and I really bonded. When I started to think of her as my sister."_

 _Alex positioned her stick and another_ clank _resounded as the last pool ball fell into the hole._

" _I believe you owe twenty bucks, a six pack of beer, and a new gun holster," Alex smirked._

" _Two out of three, double the stakes. I_ will _get you to try vegan ice cream, Danvers." Maggie said, eyebrows raised as she pointed accusingly to her girlfriend, a playful smile on her face._

" _Deal. You're gonna need a promotion after tonight Sawyer."_

* * *

"Kara, focus on my heartbeat, alright? Just breathe, focus on my heart," Maggie said, trying to sound as soothing as possible despite the anxiety building in her own chest.

Kara's breathing started to even out, her breaths shuddering in and out. Maggie breathed a sigh of relief.

 _Thanks for coming through for me Danvers._

"You've got it all wrong, Kara. Alex's life didn't end the day she met you, it began. You guys have a relationship that's unbreakable. She needs you just as much as you need her. She's never going to blame you for being hurt, for being scared. For being _human._ You don't have to pretend with her Kara," Maggie said. Kara wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Or me. You _never_ have to pretend with me either," Maggie said, her lips twitching up into a small smile.

Kara's eyes flickered up to Maggie's, so much shock and disbelief written on her face that for a second Maggie thought she said something wrong. As she opened her mouth to apologize for whatever she did, Kara shoved her head back into the crook of Maggie's neck, her arms tightening around the detective's torso.

Maggie knew she would have bruises on her sides later, but she didn't care. What mattered was Kara. What mattered was Alex. What mattered was _her girls._

"Thank you," she whispered, her fists bunching the fabric of Maggie's shirt.

Maggie knew that their journey was far from over. She knew she couldn't fix Kara on her own. This was between Kara and Alex, and the only way they would be able to heal was together. She knew Kara had to face her fears. Kara had to tell Alex the truth. All of it.

"I know you're afraid of Alex rejecting you. Of being abandoned. But I promise you Kara, she won't. _We_ won't. I know all she wants is to help you, to be there for you." Maggie breathed out her last words, "And I think you should let her do that."

"I don't want to get in the way," Kara confessed, eyebrows crinkled.

"Get in the way? Get in the way of what?" Maggie asked, her own eyebrows furrowing.

"You and Alex. She's finally happy, finally doing something for _her_ and I'm just going to ruin it with all my stupid problems," Kara trained her eyes on the floor and bit her lip, trying to will her tears away.

Maggie sat speechless for what felt like the millionth time in the last twelve hours. She had it wrong this whole time. Maggie always thought Kara avoided her because she was angry at her for stealing Alex. But that wasn't true.

She avoided Maggie for the exact opposite reason.

She _wanted_ Maggie to be with Alex, she _wanted_ Maggie to steal her sister, because it made Alex happy. But just because Kara wanted it to happen, doesn't mean Kara was ready for it to happen. She wasn't ready to have the closest person in her life suddenly ripped away.

Her reason for avoiding Maggie wasn't selfish, it was for Alex's happiness. It was selfless.

 _I should have known, when do either of the Danvers girls do something for themselves?_

And suddenly Maggie realizes how sick of a metaphor "bottling up your emotions" really is.

The feelings become overwhelming, you need to find somewhere to put them where they won't bother you anymore. Hiding them, bottling them up, seems like a good idea. But all of your bottles are already full.

So you drink the scotch in one to free up space and shove your thoughts and feelings into the glass container. But they come back, they always do, and suddenly you need another bottle to put them in.

So you drink another bottle.

And the viscous cycle continues.

And Maggie knows this, knows more than anyone.

"Kara, do you really think that Alex could ever be _truly_ happy without you?" Maggie asked, her voice quiet with disbelief.

Kara wouldn't meet the detective's gaze, her silence giving Maggie her answer.

Maggie shifted Kara in her arms, gently taking her chin and tilting her face towards her own before placing her hands on the blonde's shoulders as she looked into Kara's eyes, tears running down her cheeks as her lips trembled.

Maggie's eyes shone as her own tears filled her eyes. She let out a watery chuckle, looking down and shaking her head before meeting Kara's gaze again.

"Did you know that Alex keeps your picture in her pocket? Not in her wallet, always her pocket. And whenever she's sad, or angry, or scared? When her eyes seem just a little bit duller than usual? She takes that picture out and stares at it. And I can see the way her eyes _light up_. And then she's back. And then she's getting off the floor and dusting herself on. And then she's ready to take on anything. _You_ do that for her, Kara.

"You and Alex are the two strongest people I know. And you guys have an amazing bond that cannot, _will not,_ be broken. So don't you believe for _one second_ that Alex is better without you, Little Danvers, because if there's one thing I know for sure, it's that Kara and Alex Danvers are only unbreakable as long as they have each other."

And then Kara's shaking, letting out a sob as she cries into Maggie's neck again, and Maggie's pretty sure she hears her shirt tear from how tightly Kara clings to her. But none of that mattered to Maggie. Because during that split second, when Kara had sat in shock after hearing Maggie's words, right before she dove into the detective's arms?

Maggie saw a bit of fire return into Kara Danvers eyes. And she might have sparked that light in Kara's eyes, but Maggie Sawyer knew _exactly_ who put it there.

* * *

 **A/N: One chapter left! I'm also working on updating For the Girl Who Lost Everything, so I'll try to get that up soon, but you know me so. Hope you liked this, tell me some things you'd like to see in the last chapter and the sequel, see ya!**


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